Nicole Bricq

Nicole Bricq (French pronunciation: ​[ni.kɔl bʁik]; La Rochefoucauld, Charente, 10 June 1947 – 6 August 2017) was a member of the Senate of France, representing the Seine-et-Marne department. She received a degree in private law from Montesquieu University in 1970.

From 1980 on Bricq was a member of the Socialist Party. On 16 May 2012 she was appointed Minister of Ecology, Energy, and Sustainable Development in the government of Jean-Marc Ayrault. After the French legislative elections of June 2012, she was appointed Minister for Foreign Trade. She was replaced at the Ministry of Ecology by Delphine Batho. Whereas some members of the government, such as Cécile Duflot, considered this nomination like a promotion, many felt that it was due to the decision taken by Bricq to stop all drilling contracts signed with Shell in French Guiana, a decision that has been reversed since then.

On 6 August 2017, Bricq died accidentally from a fall.

Remarks about the dinner at the Elysee

On 28 March 2014 Bricq had to eat humble pie after she was caught on film saying that food served at a state dinner for China's President Xi Jinping was "disgusting". Television cameras caught her telling Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault that the food at the Elysee did not compare with that served at Matignon, the prime minister's office, where she had attended a lunch for Xi. "Frankly, at Matignon, there's no comparison. It wasn't that way at all at the Elysee. No, it was disgusting," she could be heard whispering.